


Talking in Your Sleep

by MisMiz (Jaaaaack51)



Series: Dream a Little Dream of Me [1]
Category: Angel: the Series
Genre: Dubious Ethics, M/M, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-10-13
Updated: 2000-10-13
Packaged: 2018-04-26 06:37:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4994029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaaaaack51/pseuds/MisMiz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lindsey McDonald has a dream.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talking in Your Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Written a long time ago in a galaxy far far away...
> 
> Mentions of canon typical supernatural creatures and violence.
> 
> Crisis of conscience.
> 
> Just another day in LA.

It had been a long day. Had it been a good one? Lindsey McDonald frowned as he poured himself a glass of wine, considering. He glanced thoughtfully around his apartment. The living room had a big screen TV and an expensive stereo system which was even now sending the soothing sounds of soft jazz into the surrounding air. The bedroom had a closet full of expensive suits. His bank accounts held a respectable amount of money. Not quite as much money as he would have liked, but he was young yet. Besides, it wasn't really about money. It was about power. Lindsey wanted power. He'd had a taste of both worlds during his short life. The world of the poor and downtrodden and the world of the rich and powerful. He knew which one he preferred.  
  
Holding his glass in one hand and the bottle of wine in the other, Lindsey made his way into the bedroom. He set the items carefully on the bedside table before quickly stripping off his work clothes and slipping into a pair of loose sweats. It was a bit chilly this evening with the cool dampness from the coast moving inland. He shivered as he slid into bed and lay back against the pillows. He closed his eyes, relishing the smooth, clean feel of his sheets. Then he opened his eyes, shook his head wearily, and reached for the glass of wine.  
  
He rolled the rich, pale liquid on his tongue, savoring its taste. The wine was excellent. A gift from a minor demon that he'd defended on a murder charge. The demon might have had a deplorable temper with a bad habit of killing his human wives, but he had superb taste when it came to wine. See how easy it was? Do your job, defend your client, and you shall be well rewarded. You will be given money and cars and fine liquors and you will not be forced to eat your own liver. So by that definition, today had been a good day.  
  
His client today had been guilty. Lindsey knew it. His Bosses at Wolfram and Hart knew it. The judge knew it. The prosecuting attorney knew it. His client certainly knew it. The only ones who didn't know it were the jury who'd returned the not guilty verdict. But that wasn't his problem. He'd done his job. His bosses were pleased. That was what mattered, right?  
  
Lindsey took another sip of wine and ran a hand through his hair, brushing unruly strands out of his eyes. He set his glass down and flexed the fingers of that hand. Dammit, life was all about trade offs. If you wanted power then you sacrificed principle. Or a body part, in his case. He flexed his fingers again, still not quite used to the feel of the new hand. If you wanted money than you sacrificed justice. You played the game or you ate your liver for breakfast. It was very simple. Lindsey didn't like liver. If other people wanted to eat liver, then that was their problem. Lindsey McDonald had enough trouble just looking out for number one.  
  
Angel could talk all he wanted about redemption, but Lindsey didn't see that it was doing the brooding vampire a whole lot of good to be good. He wasn't any happier than Lindsey. He closed his eyes again, sinking further into the bed. He could feel the wine relaxing him. He was so tired. To hell with all this moral dilemma crap. There was no dilemma. He would do what he had to do in order to ensure his future. Angel could go save the world without one Lindsey McDonald.  
  
"You do have one, you know." The sound of the familiar voice caused Lindsey to jerk upright and stare in the direction of the bedroom door.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Lindsey demanded as he watched Angel walk unhurriedly into the room to stand at the foot of the bed.  
  
"So what are you going to do about it?" Angel continued, ignoring Lindsey's question in typical fashion.  
  
"What?" Lindsey put on an air of insouciance. Rule number one. Never let them see you sweat.  
  
"Your moral dilemma. Isn't that what we're talking about here?"  
  
"I wasn't talking about anything. I was **sleeping**." Lindsey said pointedly.  
  
"What? You never heard of talking in your sleep?" Angel smiled just a bit at that.  
  
"What do you want?" Lindsey repeated evenly.  
  
"I want redemption." Angel replied softly. "I want to be human again. The question is what do **you** want, Lindsey? Do you want to be human? Do you want to be able to look at yourself in the mirror without flinching twenty years down the road? Or do you want to become like them? Trade your soul and your humanity for a fat bank account and your own personal demon?"  
  
"Don't you have enough problems worrying about your own soul, Angel? I don't think you need to worry about mine. And I was still human last time I checked. Which is more than I can say for you."  
  
"What are you so afraid of, Lindsey? That you might accidentally do something good again? Save some more kids? Or that you might actually like it?"  
  
Lindsey was silent, remembering the kids. Remembering the fear mixed in with the elation of knowing he'd won.  
  
"The only thing I'm afraid of right now is that I won't wake up in the next five seconds and I'll have to listen to more platitudes from LA's resident vampire with a soul." Lindsey shrugged, sarcasm his armor and flippancy his shield.  
  
"I can hear the blood pounding in your veins. I can see the guilt in your eyes. I can smell the regret on your skin. Face it Lindsey, you're having a crisis of conscience like it or not."  
  
"Go to hell, Angel." Lindsey looked away for a moment. The vampire's gaze was too direct. Too knowing. Too... sympathetic.  
  
"I've been there. Not a place you want to make a return trip." Angel's wry half smile had nothing of humor in it.  
  
"Go away then. Don't you have an innocent to save or something?"  
  
"Not an innocent exactly..." Angel let the words trail off.  
  
"And I suppose you're going to tell me to expect three visitors tonight? It's a little early in the season to be reenacting Charles Dickens."  
  
"Not Charles Dickens. He's a cliche, anyway."  
  
"Like a dark, mysterious, brooding vampire isn't?"  
  
"I don't brood." Angel replied, a bit defensively.  
  
"Yeah whatever. And I'm not having this dream."  
  
"No. You're not."  
  
"Yes. I am."  
  
"No. You're not."  
  
"I am too having this dream or I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."  
  
"Who says I'm a dream?"  
  
"I do."  
  
Angel shrugged.  
  
"Ok. If you're not a dream, then prove it."  
  
"What do you want me to do? Pinch you?"  
  
"Kiss me." Why the hell had he said that? The words had just seemed to slip out. Well, the only thing to do now was tough it out. Angel would never kiss him, dream or not.  
  
Angel glided over to the side of the bed and slowly sat down on it. Lindsey could feel the weight of the vampire pressing against his hip. Shock held him frozen as Angel leaned down and pressed his lips against Lindsey's open mouth.  
  
Cool. And hot. How could someone feel both at the same time? Angel's lips were cool, but his own were hot. That was how. Lindsey slid his hands up to grip Angel's shoulders tightly. He licked greedily at the corners of Angel's lips. The vampire tasted good. He felt good. He was making Lindsey feel good. Until he pulled away.  
  
Lindsey sat motionless as Angel leaned back and watched him with unreadable dark eyes.  
  
"Why?" Lindsey shook his head, trying to clear it.  
  
Angel didn't pretend to misunderstand. "Maybe because you asked me to. Maybe because I wanted to. Maybe I just didn't have anything better to do. It's your dream, Lindsey. You tell me."  
  
"I'm not like you, Angel. I don't want redemption. I want..." Lindsey stopped abruptly.  
  
Angel got to his feet and stood looking down at Lindsey. "You just have to decide what you want more, Lindsey."  
  
Lindsey stared down at his hands, focusing on them. Using them to remind him of certain things. When he looked up again, Angel was gone.  
  
He didn't remember falling back asleep. He just knew that suddenly, the next time he opened his eyes, it was morning. Time to get up and go to work. Time to do what he did best. There would be no redemption for Lindsey McDonald. Not today.  
  
The End  
  
  



End file.
